Over the past few years Apple has watched its smartphone market share decline in the face of pressure from big, cheap Android smartphones. But the iPhone 6 could change that as consumers flock to the 4G capability and larger display.

The iPhone 6 Plus is a fantastic large smartphone, but it is very expensive and locks you into the Apple ecosystem. There are several Android and Windows Phone alternatives if the iPhone is not for you.

To paraphrase Mark Twain: There are lies, damned lies, and smartphone prices. Every review I've read of the new iPhone 6 this week says the price starts at $199. That's not true. The total prices that buyers pay for smartphones on two-year contracts from American carriers will shock you.

Apple fanboys in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan can preorder the latest iPhone from September 12 and receive the smartphone on September 19, when it is available to nine countries in the first wave of its global launch. Surprisingly, China is left out of this initial list.

We will all watch Apple's big iPhone 6 / iWatch announcement with interest, but for those who have already defected to something with a bigger screen – and there are many of us – the deep gadget lust of yesteryear will have been replaced with a more detached curiosity.

What people want from the iPhone 6 might not be what they get. While smartphone owners want better battery life and tougher displays, apple might be looking to use the new iPhone to open up new markets.